“Strangers: A Memoir of Marriage, is a beautifully written eulogy for the loss of a relationship that had been loving, trusting, ‘traditional’ (in the best, unironic sense of the word)—riveting reading for its heartrending candor. Belle Burden examines the very nature of intimacy, vulnerability, and, in practical terms, the naïveté of many a young woman who falls in love with a ‘perfect’ mate.’”—Joyce Carol Oates, New York Times bestselling author of Fox
“In 2023, Burden went viral with a Modern Love essay entitled ‘Was I Married to a Stranger?’ Here, she explores the full heart-shock of that episode—the sudden disintegration of a long and largely joyful marriage, undone weeks into the pandemic by the revelation that her husband had not only been unfaithful but also seemed to wish to vanish almost entirely from their shared life, which included three young children.”—The New York Times
“Examines how we view intimacy, how the people closest to us can change without us knowing, and how to move forward in the wake of devastation.”—W magazine
“This is a beautiful memoir: Hard-won, incandescently honest, and ultimately affirming.”—Elise Loehnen, New York Times bestselling author of On Our Best Behavior
“A beautifully written instant classic. Strangers is gripping and heartbreaking and a must-read for every wife—and husband.”—Graydon Carter, New York Times bestselling author of When the Going Was Good
“In this frank, moving memoir, Burden brings readers along as she grapples with unfathomable change in and outside of her family, and pulls off the impressive trick of writing about writing herself back to wellness.”—Town & Country
“In Strangers, Belle Burden writes with piercing honesty about what happens when the life you trusted vanishes overnight—and the deeper reckoning that follows when the story you’ve lived no longer holds. With astounding compassion, she asks us to examine life’s most perplexing questions alongside her: Can we see the invisible fault lines in a marriage or truly know the people closest to us? This is an unforgettable story not just of heartbreak, but of self-recognition—of the quiet courage of learning to live in your own truth.”—Lori Gottlieb, New York Times bestselling author of Maybe You Should Talk to Someone
“A lyrical and gripping tale of the abrupt end of a seemingly solid and loving marriage. I read Strangers in one weekend. Beyond Burden’s beautiful writing and shocking story, it is a call to feminism. She reminds us: Don’t fall asleep at the wheel, be self-sustaining, stake a claim in what’s yours. Strangers is a woman’s graceful awakening—and one to learn from.”—Isabel Gillies, New York Times bestselling author of Happens Every Day
“Burden’s journey speaks to anyone broken by the unimaginable and courageous enough to forge a new beginning.”—Adrienne Brodeur, New York Times bestselling author of Wild Game
“In reclaiming her voice and story, Burden refuses to keep the silence and make the excuses as implicitly expected by society . . . and she remains charitable and gracious even when she does not have to be. A measured, empathetic, and modern response to an enraging callousness.”—Kirkus Reviews
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